More fever clinics established to meet medical demands

The National Health Commission has asked all grassroots health clinics, medium-sized and large hospitals to open fever clinics to cope with the surge of patients since China adjusted its COVID-19 control measures, an official said on Wednesday.

As of Wednesday noon, there were 14,000 fever clinics at hospitals and 33,000 fever wards at grassroots health institutions, Jiao Yahui, director of the commission's Medical Administration Division, told a news conference in Beijing.

Many places have introduced streamlined fever clinics to disburse medications for COVID-19 symptoms, and the average waiting time has dropped to 40 minutes from more than four hours in some places, she said.

Jiao said all the 31 provincial regions have earmarked money to increase the number of critical-care beds, equipment and doctors to cope with a possible surge in critically ill patients.

The country is working to create a layered treatment system for COVID-19 patients, in which grassroots health facilities monitor health, medium-sized hospitals take care of noncritical patients, and top hospitals treat those in critical condition.

Internet-based health services, which operate around the clock, are also being used to keep most patients at home, Jiao added.